Compton, Samuel

Samuel Compton was born on February 3, 1809 in Orange County, North Carolina. His parents were Erasmus and Margaret Smith Compton. Erasmus was born on January 8, 1778 and Margaret was born around this same time.

The grandfather of Samuel was Aquilla Compton. Aquilla was born in England during 1724 and immigrated to the United States through Maryland. It was here that he met and married Elizabeth Norris sometime around 1760.

Aquilla and Elizabeth had fourteen children total. The first five were born in Frederick County, Maryland. The remaining nine were born in Orange County, North Carolina. Erasmus was the eighth-born child. He and Margaret moved to Tennessee while Samuel was quite small. They then moved to Monroe County, Kentucky about the time Samuel was nearly grown.

While in Monroe County Samuel met Keziah Kirby, the daughter of Robert Kirby. Samuel
and Keziah married sometime around 1836. Their children were namely, Bishop; William Robinson; Samuel T.; Smith Bennett; Ellen C., and Sarah J. Compton. All six of their children were born while living in Monroe County, Kentucky.

It was in 1854 that Samuel moved his family to Texas. They traveled in a caravan of ten or eleven wagons. William B. Nelson, Anna Nelson Kirby, John Kirby, Andrew Kirby, Bishop Compton, Sarah J. Compton, and Smith Bennett Compton were some of the Pleasant Valley area pioneers making that treacherous overland journey from Kentucky.

Their wagons arrived at Liberty Grove and Pleasant Valley in the fall of 1854. They moved from Kentucky via Memphis to Little Rock and then on to Pleasant Valley being forty five days en route.

Most of Samuel's children settled in areas near Pleasant Valley. Bishop Compton married Melvina Little and farmed at Housley (Rose Hill). Sarah J. Compton married Thomas Jack McClain. Her husband farmed and was post master at Pleasant Valley. Smith Bennett Compton married Mary Clementine McDaniel. Mary was the sister-in-law of Harmon Newman.